Every guy has a three‐tap system before leaving the house—wallet, keys, phone. I have a five‐tap system—wallet, keys, phone, and two different sets of noise‐cancelling headphones, which dictate how much social interaction I’m in the mood for.
The smaller ones, my battle‐tested AirPods Pro (Gen 1), have been my loyal sidekicks for five years—seamlessly pairing, drowning out unsolicited life advice, and keeping me entertained whether I’m dodging airport chaos or fake‐smiling through a work call. Then there are the big boys—my Sony WH‑1000XM4s—which only come out when I wish there was a mute switch for human beings. Working out of a noisy newsroom? Mute. Seated next to a chronic oversharer on a flight? Mute.
But now, the all‐new Noise Master Buds have arrived, promising to dethrone one of my tried‐and‐true travel essentials. Do they succeed, or are they yet another impostor?
Pardon the pun, but Noise has been making a lot of noise about the new Master Buds—and for a good reason. The biggest USP of these earbuds is that they come tuned with Bose audio. Noise doesn’t exactly whisper about this collaboration, but it isn’t exactly shouting it either, at least not in terms of design or branding. The unboxing experience is downright plush: a sleek, square metal box with a magnetic lid that houses the true wireless earbuds in a vinyl record–inspired casing.
The plastic case also features an intriguing LED indicator that’s meant to mimic the needle of a vinyl player. On the Master Buds, it glows orange when charging and white when pairing. While I wish the case had a bit more heft for fall protection, the silicone‐tipped earbuds themselves feel premium—both in your hand and in your ears. They fit snugly yet comfortably, without that initial adjustment discomfort.
My only gripe? Pairing them with my iPhone. My AirPods, even after a reset, pair seamlessly with a flick. The Master Buds? Not so much. Although I don’t expect non‐Apple products to integrate with Apple as smoothly, it’d be great if someone could devise an easier solution than having to hold down the tiny power button with one hand while juggling the pairing process with the other.
Coming to the meat of the story, with 12.4mm drivers and Bose‐tuned audio, the Noise Master Buds deliver a clear, balanced sound that plays nicely across genres. The bass is punchy without drowning out the mids and highs, allowing vocals and instruments to shine through.
That said, the ANC is a bit of a mixed bag. They do a decent job of quieting background noise in laid‐back environments but tend to drop the ball in louder settings such as packed commutes or busy cafés. So, if you’re after complete silence, these might not be your cup of tea. Then again, you’d probably opt for larger, over‐the‐ear NC headphones for those occasions.
On the customisation front, the Noise Audio app lets you EQ everything from metal to EDM to jazz to any fusion you fancy. However, the app could do with a few tweaks to reliably save your favourite settings. Another minor niggle was the minimal difference between presets—but that’s more of a nitpick. In short, the Noise Master Buds aren’t about an over‐the‐top bass boost—they’re all about clarity, which is exactly what some listeners crave.
Call performance is somewhat hit‐or‐miss. The mic nails your commands, but during actual calls, voices can come across as muffled, and the background noise reduction doesn’t always cut through the chaos. Indoors, you might get away with it, but in noisy settings, it’s rather like trying to have a conversation at a rock concert.
Battery life is a real highlight. While Noise claims 44 hours of playback, real‐world use hovers around 40 hours—roughly five days on a single charge with moderate use. And the fast‐charging feature is a lifesaver: just 10 minutes of charging gives you up to six hours of playback. The only downside? No wireless charging support.
I don’t think the Master Buds are replacing my AirPods anytime soon. But they’re not meant to. Priced at ₹7,999, the Noise Master Buds deliver in spades. They’re a steal—enough to give the fancier, pricier OnePlus Buds Pro 3 a run for their money. They may not quite match the pedigree of the original Bose, but these buds sure pack a punch when it comes to audio, at least at this price point.
